Brazil in October

October makes another great month for a holiday in Brazil if you’re hoping to explore all four corners of the country, with generally good weather across the country. While spring isn’t as hot as peak season, it’s also quieter and with pleasantly warm, dry days to sightsee and get outdoors. You’ll find plenty of sun at the beaches of the north-east and south-east coasts.

Pack in some of the highlights of Rio de Janeiro before heading north to Salvador, which has one of its least rainy months in October, plus temperatures in the high 20s. It’s a perfect month to head out and explore this area, driving the coast from historic Olinda and Recife to Salvador, stopping at some of the beaches along the way, including Porto Galinhas. Or simply soak up the sunshine at some of the world’s loveliest stretches of coast. Fernando de Noronha is hard to beat, a protected area with limited numbers of visitors and heavenly snorkelling. Bahia is deservedly famous for its own lovely beaches too, including the remote little island of Boipeba

Tthere’s plenty to tempt you south this month as well. Discover Gold Rush territory in Minas Gerais, along with picturesque Paraty, which flourished thanks to the gold trade and as a haunt of pirates. It’s easy to team that with time at the beach too, such as the laid-back car-free island of Ilha Grande or the more glamorous Buzios, dubbed the St Tropez of Brazil.

It’s the last month of the dry season in the Chapada Mountains, and while the waterfalls aren’t at their best after months of little rain, it’s a good time to go hiking before the wetter weather moves in. It’s also one of the rainiest months of the year at Iguazu Falls, although the volume of water in the cascades is still relatively low after all the dry months. You can still dodge the showers to explore, and it’s quieter this month too.

Rainy weather is on the horizon in the Pantanal, but October is a fantastic time to spy the area’s elusive jaguars, not to mention the area’s other wildlife – take a safari in the less visited southern Pantanal or explore the northern Pantanal. While it’s starting to get rainier in the Amazon, it’s still a good month to visit before the wetter season arrives, with trekking in the jungle still an option.

Festivals: On the second Sunday of October in the city of Catalao, Congadas has its roots in African traditions as well as Catholic heritage, introduced by enslaved people brought to Brazil to work on the plantations. The event is now a major celebration with parades, special costumes and the coronation of the King of the Congo.

Best for: Exploring the whole country, beach time, exploring the Amazon, spotting jaguars